Kalamazoo, Mich. — There were more dark clouds rolling overhead and crossing over the Grand River valley’s sky but inside the Eastern Michigan University dressing room the sun beams were brilliant- that would be the end of the warm and fuzzy feelings.

The Eagles fell 45-30 to Western Michigan University under the threat of rain and in front of 12,136 anxious Waldo Stadium fans.

For the Eastern Michigan University five football players that were suspended four of the five have been reinstated and the ray of hope sprouts a chance for a new beginning.

For senior running back Dwayne Priest, wide receiver Tyrone Burke, defensive back Latarrius Thomas and sophomore linebacker Steve Brown redemption and chance for them to make a statement as they rejoin their team mates.

Eastern Michigan University football coach Ron English said after the game “I was happy for Priest, he gets in there and plays hard. “

Priest carried the ball 26 times for 94 yards and left the field with a sense of satisfaction knowing that he is an important piece in the Eagle offense.

What many fans expected a game the would be a long and unexciting contest but the first half ended with Western Michigan leading 24-21 but what was expected was two teams taking advantage of the each others weakness and that is what happen.

Western Michigan offense took every advantage of the Eastern Michigan University defense scoring 45 points but the Broncos offense took to the air with success and then for balance they showed a running game that Western Michigan University football coach Bill Cubit knew was here, he just had to be patient to witness the arrival of a solid running game.

“In the beginning I thought we moved the ball very well and then Eastern got the tempo,” Cubit said about his team’s effort. “There were a lot of young kids running out there. Now these kids have some kind of experience.”

The Broncos finished the game with a total 349 offensive yards, led by tailback Brian Fields 107 yards and two touchdowns.

Bronco quarterback Alex Carder picked apart the Eagles pass defense for 349 yards and striking the end zone four times.

“It is the truth, we are on the same page so much so,” Carder said. “I do not see anybody who can really stop as far as defense goes.”

Eastern Michigan University tried to use the offense as there best defense trying to keep the Broncos away from the field.

The Eagles also used a balance offense but unfortunately scoring point’s just brought the weakness of the Eagles back on the field.

“We obviously we are not coaching well enough defensively because we do not do what we are suppose to do,” English said about his defense after the game. “It falls on the coaching so I am not satisfied with our ability and I coach too, I coach the safeties with my ability first of all it starts with me the ability to get the defense to do what they are suppose to do consistently and they have a hard time doing that.”

Eastern Michigan University quarterback Alex Gillett lead the ground game for the Eagles by carrying the ball 22 times for 159 yards and one touchdown, he also threw 24 times and completing 13 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns.

Gillett tried to do too much with time in the game expiring, he tried to force too many passes and tried to get too much done but the result was nothing accomplished.

“I told him at the end that he did a couple of things that really he should not have and I told Alex that he can not go off of the reservation regardless of the score,” English said about the Eagles quarterback.. “It is nothing more than a bad habit that is all that is so regardless of the situation you got to do exactly what you are supposed to do and do not start making things up but I thought that he did some dog gone good things and played well for the most part.”

“I have coached defense all my life and it takes time to harden them to do things right every time,” English said. “It is not that these guys are not trying – these are guys are trying. My disappointment is that it starts with coaches and it starts with me, I am first.”

Next week the Eagles will continue the road trip to upstate New York with a game against University at Buffalo the kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

About the AuthorSubscribe to author's RSS feed
Written by Mel Suiter
Graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2002 and have been working as a beat writer for The Ypsilanti Courier covering Eastern Michigan University football and men's basketball during my school career and after graduation.
I like the Mid-American Conference and the rest of the mid-major conferences.